Yardies at home and Farrin (part13)

[JaHoney 3]

philly,

The liver, yam and Banana is sounding slightly gross...LOL

I am tired and ready to go as well

Hell i have watched dang near all of Sungold's slides, they are what inspired me to have my wedding in JA,

there is one real pretty on there with a couple named Joseph and ?? i think latoya? or joseph and something, but the colors are orange and turquoise and it is really pretty. Only thing, there are no prices anywhere, which must mean they are costly???

[^KK^ 3]

I thought of you - Philly

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/04/01/reces...2test_livingwed

'Recession gardens' trim grocery bills, teach lessonsStory Highlights

Americans are turning to gardens as a way to reduce food bills amid recession

Experts in garden industry say the trend is unlike anything in at least 30 years

One seed company says a $200 garden saves a family $5,000 in food annually

Gardening is up 19 percent in 2009, the National Gardening Association says

Next Article in Living »

Read VIDEO

By John D. Sutter

CNN

(CNN) -- As American families try to stretch their food budgets during the recession, some are turning to the backyard, rather than the grocery store, as the place to look for produce.

Susan Hopper of Tampa, Florida, uses her garden to teach her students where food comes from.

Recession gardens are catching on with many first-time planters who want a healthy meal at an affordable price.

The gardeners are following seed-strewn paths laid by Michelle Obama and Eleanor Roosevelt, both of whom have used the White House lawn to show the value of a garden during tough times.

The scope of today's trend is shocking even to those in the gardening industry.

W. Atlee Burpee & Co., the largest seed and gardening supply store in the country, says it has seen a 25 to 30 percent spike in vegetable seed and plant sales this spring compared with last.

"I've been in the business for 30 years, and I've never seen anything like it -- even remotely like it," said George Ball, chairman and CEO of the company.

In 2008, there was a 15 to 20 percent uptick in seed sales because of high food and gasoline prices. Not since the '70s, when the company saw sales increases in the 10 percent range, has gardening seen such buzz, he said.

The National Gardening Association expects 43 million American households to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs and berries this year. That's up 19 percent over last year, according to a 2,559-household survey the group conducted in January. Tell us about your garden on iReport.com

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About a fifth of the gardeners this year will be new to the activity, the survey says. Most -- 54 percent -- said they will garden because it saves them money on food bills. A slightly larger group say they garden because homegrown food tastes better.

There's evidence that recession gardeners stand to see substantial savings at the grocery store checkout.

Last year, Burpee released a report saying a family will get an average 25-to-1 return on its investment in a garden.

So, by that count, a family that spends about $200 on a medium-to-large garden, as Michelle Obama reportedly did, will save $5,000 in grocery bills over the course of a year.

That statistic is inflated, said Mike Metallo, spokesman for the National Gardening Association.

Metallo's group says a $70 investment in a garden will yield $600 in produce for the year.

To get those savings, a gardener has to know what to plant, when to plant it, where to plant it, how to deal with different soil types and how to care for the garden. Watch the community of Serenbe bring food from farm to table »

That knowledge isn't innate these days, especially for urban dwellers.

Bobby Wilson, president of the American Community Gardening Association, says all of that interest is great, but he worries that Americans aren't equipped to grow their own food without some help.

"Many of the people that want to get into the gardening and greening movement right here have never gained the skills," he said. "Many of them came up in an era where there was no vocational education, so there was no need to learn anything about horticulture or agriculture."

He said all of the country's elementary schools should have gardens so future generations will learn how to save money and fend for themselves.

Susan Hopper, a 41-year-old elementary school teacher in Tampa, Florida, said she started a garden last year, partly to teach her family and her students about the food chain. See Hopper's garden on iReport.com

"I have three children of my own, and they think chicken comes in tenders and nuggets," she said. "I was concerned about their health, and I wanted them to understand that food is a process that we're a part of, and it just doesn't come in neat packages."

Hopper grew up watching her older family members garden, but when she first decided to plow a patch of her own yard, she wasn't too successful.

Florida's growing season is somewhat reversed, she said, so even though she had read Internet articles about how to garden, she didn't know the local tricks needed to make her plants survive.

In the process of digging back into the soil, though, some new gardeners are struggling with the fact that they're several generations removed from a farm.

Pamela Price, a 38-year-old mom in San Antonio, Texas, said her garden isn't profitable just yet because of droughts in her state. See Price's "victory garden" on iReport.com

She grew up in a family of ranchers and farmers, but she's forgotten much of what she learned when she was young.

"We are fortunate that we don't have to rely on [the garden], but I certainly want to make sure that, in the event that something happens, we would know how to," she said. "It's a life skill."

Price said she's started to look at her local environment anew as she leans which plants will or won't grow in the harsh climate.

That gives her a connection with history, too, she said. She recently read a book about how some of Texas' residents a century ago had similar issues.

Wilson, of the community garden association, said new gardeners should seek advice from neighbors. On every block, there's a gardener who is willing to talk about the process, he said.

Face-to-face conversations are more helpful than Internet searches when it comes to learning about the local environment, he said.

One way to tap local garden knowledge is to join a community garden, where neighbors turn up communal plots together.

The activity is expected to see a fivefold increase this year, with 5 million households saying they're at least "very interested" in participating in a community garden, said Metallo, of the National Gardening Association.

New gardeners should start out small, he said. That way you'll learn as you go and won't get as frustrated.

"You don't have to go hogwild crazy," he said, adding that people who tear up their entire yards are usually disappointed. "Get comfortable with it."

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[phillyfashionista 8]

Hey Lawny

LOL son requested it this morning I was said boy come on I don't have time LOL knowing I just wanted to eat some too and couldn't haaaa Bad Mommy! He said he will fix it himself when he comes home from school LOL. I must say the young dread is shaping up to be a fabulous cook he can hook up the tin fish and bully beef!

[PortlandAngel 0]

KC that is wonderful news! Congrats and I will keep praying for 100% recovery!

[JaHoney 3]

KCOY, dont know if you listen to any gospel but in the words of Karen Clark Sheard: "it's not over" if you have never heard that song, just listen to it and when she builds up to the chorus and says " Im coming out, you coming out, we coming out" we coming out this thang" you give grace to God, cause he is the only true healer and he has never lost a case.

I hope you and your husband continue to be Blessed!!!

[phillyfashionista 8]

KK that is great I wish I had even more space cause trust me a sistah would be growing everything. I would even breed chickens if the neighbors wouldn't call the cops on me LOL they actually called the cops when I had a rooster at my Moms house LOL

JA Honey yummmm its sooooo good LOL. I hope we get a chace to link when I am there we are goign to country but I don't know what day yet. We will be staying in Dalliston for a couple days but back and forth between Bettletown and Grange hill.

KCOY that this fabulous, I pray you and your Hubby stay healthy!

[JaHoney 3]

alright Philly, cool we will be in columbus heights in ochi, and another vj'er Momto2 will be there also so we will have to link up

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

Congrats JA English on the weight loss, I lost 60lbs last year then gained back 19 and I just got back on the ball and lost 14 lbs but exercise and no carbs is the key for me. its an eternal journey, keep up the good work!

Girl, I feel like completely differnt PERSON!!

This is me last MAY 2008

This was day before yesterday

[^KK^ 3]

Philly - Is grange hill near Lucea? I've heard of that place before.

[dillon 6]

You look great JaEnglish! Congrats on your weight loss!

[phillyfashionista 8]

Congrats JA English on the weight loss, I lost 60lbs last year then gained back 19 and I just got back on the ball and lost 14 lbs but exercise and no carbs is the key for me. its an eternal journey, keep up the good work!

Girl, I feel like completely differnt PERSON!!

This is me last MAY 2008

This was day before yesterday

JA ENg you look fabulous you go girl! I am so happy for you!

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

Thanks ladies!

[^KK^ 3]

me cyaan see the pics...Ja english..block on my computer.

[phillyfashionista 8]

Philly - Is grange hill near Lucea? I've heard of that place before.

KK its way past Lucea it's actually closer to Negril its about a 25-30 minute ride

JA Eng you did this all without exercising I have to run around dill I bust out my sneakers to lose the weight LOL

I want surgery ASAP LOL. I am working on the back fat rolls that is my primary focus, I lost one I have 1 to go LMAO!

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

me cyaan see the pics...Ja english..block on my computer.

Lol...would a link help??

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n163/DH.../Untitled-2.jpg

KK, can you see my sig?

Philly - Is grange hill near Lucea? I've heard of that place before.

KK its way past Lucea it's actually closer to Negril its about a 25-30 minute ride

JA Eng you did this all without exercising I have to run around dill I bust out my sneakers to lose the weight LOL

I want surgery ASAP LOL. I am working on the back fat rolls that is my primary focus, I lost one I have 1 to go LMAO!

I need to do some sit ups, my belly is a little wobbly lol!

My sis was saying that this is probably the last time I'll be able to get away with what I have, in future she thinks I'll have excess skin etc....No more kids for me, so this is last time I'll ever have to do this I hope...